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The Sesimuj
'The Nine Nights of Darkness' The largest event in Namibia's history was the Nine Nights of Darkness. When Lah'mit's final days were numbered, a small group of her most devout followers convinced her to bequeath her powers unto a new generation before she was lost to history. While it was a period of mourning and incomprehensible sadness for her people, it was the most crucial in conceiving the souls that would eventually lead to present-day Namibia. Each night, Lah'mit laid with a woman of her choosing until her final day. The Souls that arose from this event became known as the Sesimuj. The First Soul - Mauve, Iqhwa's Child "The First Soul was conceived through an unthinkable union. How could someone so full of life find solace in another whose aspect is anything but? Yet, here Mauve stands, and we find ourselves disproven again." Mauve is the First Soul of the Sesimuj. ''She is the only Soul to be a full-fledged deity. Her dame is Iqhwa, Goddess of Permafrost, and is the only offspring she produced. Surprisingly, Mauve shares little resemblance to her aside from inheriting a mastery over the cold and ice and their matching complexions. She doesn't claim any aspect and serves as a liaison between Namibia and Iqhwa, choosing a quiet and subservient existence rather than actively making her presence known. Her primary weapon is a spear with the tip carved of "dark ice," ice created by Iqhwa to never melt. Throughout time, Mauve selects a small number of people to serve in a personal guard called the ''Biut. ''They range in ages and from all walks of life, but those chosen are blessed by her mother. They swear fealty to Namibia, but only obey the orders given by the First Soul which thankfully are always in line with the goals and visions of Namibia. '''The Second Soul - Remjal, Yemi's Sacrifice' "The Second Soul was a blessing and a tragedy. Lah'mit's most faithful priestess Yemi, approached her Goddess dressed down and humbled.She, like her deity, was dying. On the Second Night they conceived a child strong enough to live to see the light of the morning - never to know who her dame was." '' Remjal is the Second Soul born with the most human-like qualities of all the ''Sesimuj. ''She takes after her dame much more than her sire, even down to her personality and her habits. Many assume she is Lah'mit's desperation at immortalizing Yemi through a descendant, however the one thing she lacks that Yemi had is a sense of humility. Remjal is proud as she is confident in her decisions, relying on instinct and the judgement of her fellow siblings to guide as many of her followers as she can. Skeptics believe Remjal toes a fine line between aggressive devotion and shadowy corruption, but wars that reach too close to her borders brought out a fury only recorded in history as "the wrath Lah'mit should have had, but never let show." Remjal is responsible for settling the convening of the ''Sesimuj, as well as providing spiritual guidance to all who seeks it. The Twin Souls - Jimith and A'ouha "The Third and Fourth Souls were created at the same time - something Lah'mit did not expect but was unsurprised by when they came forth. Her dame was a twin herself, and thus produced two children instead of one. It only made sense of course when looking upon their faces." Jimith ("gee-mith") ''and A'ouha ("''ow-hah") are respectively the Third and Fourth Souls. Lah'mit was always fond of the unique connection shared between identical siblings and the twins shared her power. During the early years of Namibia, Jimith and A'ouha shared a joined capital and were the pinnacle of symbolism for their beloved goddess. Jimith was as handsome as he was desirable, ruling with a kind hand and a booming voice that compelled those following him to lend their ears. A'ouha was graceful and a force to be reckoned with - to this day not a single person save her twin brother has been able to match her combat prowess. But greed and conquest wore on their shared bonds, forcing them apart and scattering their people. Wars took a heavy toll on Jimith as he watched in despair as foreign entities burned and scorched their lands, slaughtered their mother's children, and took what wasn't rightfully theirs. He tried to resist and fight back, but eventually fell to the shadows to accomplish what A'ouha couldn't do in the light. Jimith gathered what remained of his guards and turned them into stealthy fighters - eventually giving rise to the rtueh'm ''("''reh-too-uhm"), a close, tight-knit order whose sole purpose is to keep Jimith free of Shadows and invaders alike. A'ouha managed to secure the eastern border of their land from invaders. With the help of the Biut, she was able to save a great deal of their people from a doomed fate. But in doing so, it cost the life of her wife and subsequently her heart. No longer able to wield the deadly whips that obeyed her command, A'ouha fell into despair until Mauve and Remjal stepped in to save their sister from losing herself. To this day, A'ouha attempts to govern her region with a similar style of Jimith but struggles to grasp the concepts she once embodied. Without her heart-light and without her weapons, she believes she is nothing more than a shell of her former self and unworthy of her mother's power. Hope is not entirely lost however, as the people she toils day and night to keep safe have become the support she needs to rediscover herself. Seeing the struggle A'ouha endures pushes those living in her cities to band together and be an infallible network of harmony. Of all the people in Namibia, A'ouha boasts the most diverse and hard working of their culture. The Fifth Soul - Habma'as, the Pariah's Champion "Lah'mit welcomed all, even those rejected from their home, in her lands. Those who opened their eyes were given a new chance to live again, and one woman in particular captured her eyes. Skin as dark as night with eyes as white as milk, Tenembra had been cast away to the seas by her own people, only to end up washed upon Lah'mit's shores. She became the watchful guardian of the bay, and the Goddess gave her a daughter that would impart a lasting legacy. '' ''Thus, the Fifth Soul rose - Habma'as." Habma'as protects the Bay of Lah'mit and is responsible for much of Namibia's aquatic forces. Following her mortal mother's footsteps, she took upon duties none of her siblings could handle. She presides over the waters surrounding Namibia and is responsible for observing the weather. She works in tandem with Jimith to keep both sides of the bay secure, and has an unnerving capacity to foreshadow events to come. Habma'as and her people are the most outgoing of Namibia, in part due to the fact they have the most interactions with the outside world that isn't conflict of some sort. It is surmised that Habma'as is rather fond of Jimith's twin sister A'ouha, however respects the anguish and mourning she endures. Habma'as is also known to pray to the Goddest of Storms, Tempest, and regularly does so to keep the weather in Namibia regulated and stable. The Sixth and Seventh Souls - Teshri and J'Tauj "No one truly knows how Teshri and J'Tauj came about, but one cannot deny the power pulsing through their veins and their gentle touches belonging to our beloved Lah'mit." Teshri and J'Tauj are the only two Souls with no record of their dames. It is clear however, they share some sort of sisterly bond and thus rumored to have originated one of two different ways - directly born from Lah'mit or their birth mothers were blood siblings. Given that all Nine Souls are born from a union with another, the latter is the more widely accepted. Despite their depictions, Teshri is the less vocal and approachable of the two. She is charged with caring for the weary and old, or the injured until their time to depart the world and move into Thania's hands. Because of the delicacy of those she presides over, the region she presides is carefully guarded by Yurnas and Habma'as. Teshri provides the least amount of input for the covenings during times of peace and prefers to speak through J'Tauj. Teshri is the other part to Rem'jal, spiritually. While Rem'jal handles matters involving more of faith and human guidance, Teshri is deeply rooted in the Weave and is more detached from the physical world. She is also a focal point for all departing souls within Namibia prior to them going to Thania. -- J'Tauj, despite her appearance, is the most romanticized of all the souls. The region she is responsible for is the most wild and untamed of all Namibia, boasting the densest forests, tallest mountains, and fiercest creatures. Many believe she is the embodiment of Lah'mit's will to preserve what remains of the "unknown" in the fact of technological progress. She is often compared to a dryad due to her half human, half-plant-like features however this is a misconception. J'Tauj can change her appearance at will, growing to a fearsome ent or becoming more human-like reminiscent of modern superheros like Poison Ivy. J'Tauj is much friendlier than Teshri, however often ignores others to listen to Teshri's whispers before translating her messages in riddles. She is connected to the land they live on and is responsible for helping the people live safely in otherwise dangerous landscapes. Many people have attempted courting J'Tauj when she makes her appearances, however almost all have failed. The Eighth Soul - Yurnas, Lah'mit's Eye "Lah'mit struggled to convince the woman to bear the Eighth Soul to accept her love. Of all the people she chose, she selected one who shied away from the people, hated by the world outside, and yet somehow after that night changed her into a woman who had a limitless capacity to love. When Yurnas was born, it was then the people of Namibia solidified their faith in knowing they would never be led astray." Yurnas is the Eighth Soul, and the most stoic of the nine. He is in charge of a band of hunters that swear a life to the forests and the mountains, and presides over a region that is even harder to navigate than J'Tauj. Little is known about his dominion and he often follows the orders of the other souls rather than inputs his own. The M'leim is the group of hunters he trains and hides within the thick fog that almost constantly persists in his providence. It is the least populated by humans and creatures alike. It is said for every m'leim there is always a bird of prey on his or her arm. They are the most connected between the spirits of animals and humans and share similarities to summoners and their contracts with Jasmine's beasts. Because of their home, the M'leim are frighteningly effective in finishing tasks assigned to them and incredibly accurate at tracking down even the smallest things with their companions. This group is also responsible for much of the infiltration forces during times of war, and the ones that keep all leaders of each region well informed of the going ons that might evade normal patrols. It is why they are held in the highest esteem no matter where they are, and the saying goes that turning away a m'leim is the equivalent of bringing about your own doom. The bond between a hunter and bird-of-prey is one of the strongest. When a m'leim dies, his or her companion chooses to go with them. When a m'leim's companion dies, they become messengers in other regions for the rest of the group, or may choose to sacrifice their lives so they may always be with their companion. The Ninth Soul - Ntars, the Crown of Lah'mit "She gave to the people and to the land, but had yet to bring animals into her folds. From the northern, snow-capped mountains came the wolves. Wild in their spirits and feral in their looks, but one look in their eyes and everyone knew Lah'mit placed the last of her power in their souls. And thus Ntars came forth, bearing the brightest light for us at the darkest of nights." Ntars is the Ninth Soul and bears the most visceral aspects of Lah'mit and the other Souls. He presides over the northernmost tribes and is the spirit animal, literally and figuratively, of Lah'mit. He is capable of speech like most humans and often is responsible for visions and dreams spiritual figures receive. Many liken him to the Goddess Briseis, though his influence is not widespread like hers. Those who receive direct visions of him are respected the greatest, as he is the only Soul capable of connecting them to Lah'mit. As a result, wolves are a greatly respected animal within their lands.